Deer ticks are most easily identified by their small size, in relation to other species of ticks. As adults, they are abut half the size of a wood tick and even smaller in relation to a dog tick. Like all other ticks, they are arachnids, with eight legs.
Deer ticks are brown, with black legs. The females have distinct red abdomens. Deer ticks are found mainly in the U.S., in the Eastern and mid western regions. They are the carriers of Lyme disease, which is a tick-borne disease that attacks humans and animals alike.
Deer ticks prefer white-tailed deer as their hosts and, in smaller life stages, they will attach to white-footed mice. Deer ticks will usually contract Lyme disease in their nymph stage from the mice. They will then pass it on to their hosts, infecting them. The deer tick in its most dangerous phase, the nymph phase, is extremely tiny. It is about the size of a pinhead. These ticks are very hard to detect.
Deer ticks can be found outdoors on the bodies of their hosts, as well as in places where grasses meet wooded areas. These places are favorite spots for deer ticks because most animals travel through these areas. Look for deer ticks in damp areas, or on leaves or bushes in the transition areas. They will attach themselves to their hosts as the animals brush past the foliage.
If you are outside in an area know for deer ticks, take precautions. Be sure to check frequently for deer ticks on yourself and, if out with pets, check them as well. Deer ticks will usually look like tiny specks of pepper in their early life phases and will not get much larger as adults. A thorough check is necessary to locate these potentially dangerous pests.